Pinoys frugal in buying books

The 2017 Readership Survey of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) showed that the number one method of acquiring books is by borrowing them from friends and relatives.

While borrowing does not bestow ownership, 37.74 percent of the survey respondents said they get hold of books through the generosity of other people.

The second most popular way of getting books is by receiving them as gifts (33.98 percent), followed by purchasing second-hand books (12.37 percent) and borrowing from the library (11.19 percent).

Other ways by which books are traded are through independent bookstores, online purchases, book fairs and sales.

The survey revealed that 80 percent of adults and 93 percent of children read non-school books.

“But what seems to be the problem is the affordability of books, accessibility,” NBDB Chairman Flor Marie Sta. Romana-Cruz said in an interview.

“So they hardly buy. For gifts, a child can only get one during Christmas, their birthday and perhaps good grades. So maybe three books in a year. And what they want is to receive books because they’re expensive,” she added.

Most Filipinos are only willing to spend P199 per book, according to the survey.

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